Hindu Temple of St Louis marks Mandala fete

The Hindu Temple of St Louis celebrated Mandala Pooja on December 25 last.

The Ayyappa vratham culminates in a final Mandala festival where Ayyappa swamis (devotees who observe Ayyappa vratham are referred to as swamis) take coconuts filled with ghee (called Irumudi, representing mind and body) and offer them to Lord Ayyappa.

This is a strict, spiritually disciplined process and symbolizes offering the mind and body to Lord Ayyappa, including the ego.

Through the entire process of the vratham and taking the irumudi, the swamis purify their mind to achieve a deeper level of self-realization and enlightenment.

On December 24 and next morning, Ayyappa swamis filled the polished coconut with ghee under the guidance of their Guruswamy. It is the most sacred part of the Irumudi offering.

Swamis and devotees chant “swamiye..swamiye” during the ghee filling with the vibration of Lord Ayyappa and the surrendering of ego. During the intermittent time of ghee filling, swamis and devotees can sing Ayyappa bhajans and vazhinadai saranams with an objective to seek blessing for His dharshan.

On December 25, Irumudi pooja was performed by Guruswamy marking the completion of Irumudi preparation. In spite of the cold weather outside, bare-footed swamis, including their juniors, went round the temple three times, chanting vazhinadai saranams, taking the Irumudi to Lord Ayyappa.